What the Veep? Biden marches to beat of his own drum

(LIN) — Less than one week after the U.S. Supreme Court heard Shelby Co. v. Holder challenging the Voting Rights Act, a public demonstration was held re-enacting “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Ala.

Vice President Joe Biden was there, not just in the crowd, but at the front of the march.

Photos: Biden leads voting rights march

In front of thousands in attendance, Biden reflected on what he remembers from the 1965 events, where state troopers beat voting rights demonstrators during a portion of a 50-mile march to Montgomery, Ala., for equality in voting rights.

“We saw in stark relief the rank hatred, discrimination and violence that still existed in large parts of the nation,” he said at the event.

Biden is the first-ever sitting vice president to participate in the yearly “Bridge Crossing Jubilee” re-enactment, and he says he’s sorry it’s taken him this long to participate.

“I regret — and although it's not a part of what I'm supposed to say — I apologize it took me 48 years to get here," he said. "I should have been here. It's one of the regrets that I have and many in my generation have.”

But why now?

In his first four years as vice president, it wasn’t uncommon to hear gaffes and blunders from his office, but rarely did any major policy or social stances make the headlines. Biden has been vocal on many issues lately, from voting rights to gun control. And he’s getting headlines in return.

While the vice president’s sentiment in Selma was heartfelt, and was not billed as a political speech, many speculate if this appearance is just one of many events leading up to presidential run.

In 2007, both President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the Selma trip when they were running for president, and while Biden hasn’t declared his intention to run for president, he hasn’t denied it.

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What the Veep is a bi-weekly feature about the office of the vice president. Jessica O. Swink is a contributing editor to onPolitix  . Join in the conversation on  Facebook  and  Twitter  .